


My Emperor

by Madame_Tentacle



Category: The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (TV)
Genre: Body Horror, M/M, but I still kept the ship tag because that was what I had in mind while writing this, for the sake of transparency, nonetheless hope you enjoy this odd little drabble!, one-sided, this ended up a lot more icky and sad than I intended
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-13
Updated: 2020-05-13
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:07:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24162565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madame_Tentacle/pseuds/Madame_Tentacle
Summary: The Emperor takes ill when receiving a gelfling audience.
Relationships: skekSo/skekVar (Dark Crystal)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 18





	My Emperor

Gelfling from every clan lined up outside the throne room. Most had spent weeks, if not months, seeking an audience with skekSo, and only those with the finest gifts could step foot in the palace. They brought forth sparkling jewels, sculptures of skekSo's likeness, and robes made of brilliant fabrics.

skekVar took each offering and placed it in a growing pile around the throne, but no matter how fine the piece, skekSo never offered more than an acknowledging nod. His expression remained unmoved as he heard tales of strange blights and shortages across Thra, and each grievance received the same succinct explanation: that treasury reserves would ensure the gelfling clothed and fed through the scarcity which he assured was only temporary. Any who asked for further explanation were swiftly dismissed.

With every audience, skekVar stood at skekSo's side. Through the first wave, he'd walk back and forth to fetch each gift and see the gelfling to and from the throne room, but as the line progressed, he lingered by skekSo longer. He watched as skekSo rubbed his temple and closed his eyes and waited as skekSo required a "moment to compose himself" before the next audience. Each moment took longer than the last.

His answers became briefer and his dismissals sharper, motioning for skekVar to see the gelfling out before they could even finish their stream of "thank you's".

None of them heard skekSo's raspy breathing as skekVar did. It was light at first, something to be dismissed as a "tickle of the throat," but as the day dragged on, it grew in volume. The faint rasping evolved into an audible wheezing from skekVar's proximity, but he said nothing of it. Occasionally, he dared to glance aside, but never for more than a few moments as he saw to the next gelfling and accepted treasures on skekSo's behalf.

Only when the final gelfling departed did skekVar speak up.

"That should be the last of them." He shut the doors to the throne room. "What shall I have done with the offerings?"

But skekSo didn't respond. He sank into the throne, eyes closed and breathing labored.

"Emperor?" 

When skekVar stepped towards the throne, skekSo's eyes opened. They were clear and alert even as his breathing strained. Slowly, he rose. He held his head high and started for the exit. Usually he stormed through the halls alone, but now he looked to skekVar, expectantly. "General, walk with me." He didn't wait for a response.

It took skekVar little effort to catch up with him. He then slowed his pace to match skekSo's stride and stopped throughout as not to overtake him.

They wandered not to the main, guarded corridors, but through the private halls. Without any windows, shadows overtook the passage. Not even skeksis were permitted to take to the them without skekSo's blessing as they led to his personal chambers. Still, skekVar held his tongue as they traveled further.

Then, skekSo stopped. He hunched over and wheezed, shuddering with every breath.

"Are you--" 

"Give me your arm," skekSo commanded.

Wordlessly, skekVar held out his arm and skekSo seized it. His talons dug into it, tearing through the fabric of skekVar's robe and into his skin. Blood seeped from the fresh cuts as skekVar stood at attention to support skekSo's slight weight.

skekSo fell into a coughing fit so severe he could scarcely breathe, yet his grip tightened.

"Sire…?" skekVar uttered as skekSo's coughing abated back into a low wheeze.

"My...quarters…" he choked out. "See me to my quarters..."

"Yes, Emperor." Slowly, skekVar walked, careful not to disturb skekSo. With meticulous movements, he opened the door and skekSo released him.

He rushed to a decorated vanity and collapsed against it. Only his grip on the edges steadied him as he sought to control his breathing.

"Sire--" skekVar stepped forward, but skekSo raised a hand.

"Silence," he snapped. 

skekSo's arms trembled and the wheezing stopped. However, he continued to heave, as if choking on an unseen morsel. For several minutes he struggled until he hacked up a thick violet bile. It glowed and ate through the tabletop, eroding the wood, all the way to the rug, singing the carpet and fading into dark stains.

At last, skekSo's breathing regained an even rhythm, though he still relied on the table to stay upright.

"Emperor…?"

skekSo shot a glare over his shoulder.

"Forgive me…" skekVar lowered his gaze until skekSo spoke again.

"My basket."

"Pardon?"

"The basket on my back. It weighs me down."

"Yes, sire." skekVar dutifully came to skekSo and removed the ornate basket. As he held it, he stared at skekSo's secondary arms. They were gnarled and bare.

Freed from the cumbersome weight, skekSo straightened himself and managed a deep breath. Once he inhaled a second, he took skekVar's arm again, this time without asking.

skekVar helped skekSo to the oversized, plush bed. "I'll dine here tonight," skekSo said as he leaned against the overabundance of pillows and blankets. "You'll bring my share and no one is to accompany you."

"As you command." skekVar started out, but stopped when skekSo called after him.

"And General!"

He turned. "Yes, Emperor?"

skekSo's eyes narrowed and he spoke in an icy tone. "You are to tell no one of what you saw here; is that understood?"

"Yes, Emperor," skekVar replied.

"Good." skekSo waved a dismissive hand. "Now, begone."

Nodding, skekVar left the room. He was careful to make little noise as he roamed the halls. The cut in his arm continued to bleed, staining his robes. He would blame the wound on an errant beast at the dinner table.


End file.
